GE90 control and accessory parts held the top spot on Locatory.com's global Hardest-to-Find list for a fourth consecutive month in August 2026, with engine components overall accounting for 37% of constrained searches worldwide and 39% in North America.

The "Marketplace" platform entered September with search activity already at its highest level of 2026, and shortages rising faster than searches. "44 of the same 50 part numbers appeared on both the global and North America Hardest-to-Find lists in August, indicating that many of the most difficult sourcing requirements were not isolated to one market," Locatory.com reported. "Instead, the data points to broader aftermarket pressure affecting the same component families across regions."

What GE90-related hardware dominated August constraints?

The constrained engine parts concentrate in the GE90 and Boeing 777 ecosystem, with demand spread across control and accessory subsystems. Locatory.com's hardest-to-find engine items for the month include Full Authority Digital Engine Control units (105E70898G1, 105E70898G2, 105E70898G3); Hydromechanical Unit control assembly (1693M75P08) and the 1851M65 family; IDG check valve assembly (1548-05-12); fuel-oil cooler/heat-exchanger components (1838M88P03, 1838M88P11); IDG/VSCF air-oil cooler interface parts (1838M91 series); and temperature/pressure sensor (0154GF9).

"The FADEC family, HMU and temperature/pressure sensor have now appeared on Locatory.com Hardest to Find data for four consecutive months, from May through August," the report said. "That persistence makes the pattern more significant than a one-month sourcing spike and points to sustained pressure around the same GE90 control-system requirements."

Most GE90-related part numbers appear on both Global and North America datasets, suggesting buyers across regions are competing for the same pool of GE90 control and accessory material, analysts added.

Why does the GE90 shortage persist?

Fleet math, not one-off logistics, appears to drive the pattern. "Continued delays to the Boeing 777X program mean that existing 777-300ER and 777F fleets remain central to long-haul operations for longer, sustaining the requirement to support the installed GE90 base," Locatory.com wrote.

That fleet reality has direct consequences for airlines and lessors: 777-300ERs and 777F freighters that operators might otherwise phase out now require continued GE90 support, and FADEC and HMU constraints feed straight into dispatch reliability on long-haul routes.

What other categories showed pressure?

Standard hardware and seals made up 26% of North American constraints and 16% globally. Constrained items include ring backup (8-218V709-90), bearing assembly (D48896), screws (60-4156-1, 2291-13), PTFE seal (J8066), fastener clip (14033-03) and locked-in stud (MS51989-105-29). Lock ring (348150516) appeared on the global list only.

Electrical, power, APU and avionics parts accounted for 21% of global constraints and 17% in North America. Hard-to-find items include voltage converter (41010-000), 787 monitor unit (RD-FJ7828-01) and main power supply (10074910-114). The fuel-height temperature sensor (20301-0134) was significant only in North America.

Airframe and landing gear parts comprised 19% of global shortages and 9% in North America. Constrained items include underwing-longeron filler (675W0003-7), bushing assembly (AJ18C105DU) and metering pin (1C2067-1). Roller tray assembly (250100-43) showed global-only shortages.

"Two recurring items, cover latch (0FV9900A11G02) and face panel (0YZ1510A01G03), are particularly notable," Locatory.com wrote. Both part numbers have tracked as recurring hard-to-find signals since May.

Cabin and safety components emerged as the smallest constraint category at 9% (North America) and 7% (global), down from July. The lens/light assembly (6230-01-017-1226) appeared on both lists. 787 headrest assembly (131-00-400-17) was North American only, and liner (845T3108-16) appeared only on the global list.

What does this mean for MROs and airlines heading into autumn?

The data lands against a maintenance backdrop IATA has already flagged as disrupted by spare-parts shortages, constrained maintenance capacity and extended repair turnaround times.

"The coming season will meet an aftermarket that already has limited flexibility," Locatory.com analysts wrote. They cite recent AerFin findings that HPT blade availability has become the principal bottleneck extending CFM56 overhaul cycles at the end of August, evidence that material itself, rather than shop capacity, can become the limiting factor.

That framing recasts the August data as a leading indicator rather than a snapshot of summer demand. "If planned maintenance volumes now increase while the same constrained material is required across multiple shops and regions, buyers may increasingly be competing for the same serviceable inventory, exchange units and repair capacity," Locatory.com said.

How that competition plays out across Q4 heavy checks and into the winter ops peak will determine whether sourcing pressure translates into rising lease rates for serviceable GE90 material or extended AOG groundings on long-haul fleets.